There are a variety of conventional tong or clamp like-utensils for picking up an object. In the context of culinary utensils, for example a culinary tong, the tong may be used for picking up a food object. Such utensils typically have a pair of arms connected together at a pivot joint. A spring means is provided to bias the arms to a far apart configuration. In use, when a food object is to be picked up the arms are firstly allowed to be spread out. Then when the food object is located between the front ends of the arms and the arms are squeezed together the food object can be held tight by the arms. In order to maintain the position, the arms have to be held firmly together by the fingers of a user. This can be difficult in particular if the spring means for biasing the arms apart are particularly strong because the fingers would have to act against the biasing force of the spring means. The holding of the arms together can also be difficult if the food object being held is heavy or the food object is to be held for a prolong period of time.
Another problem with conventional tong or clamp like-utensils is that when they are not in use, the arms are biased to spread apart. As such, the utensils become larger and difficult to stow. One solution has been to provide a ring for holding the arms together. However, the ring can be difficult to maneuver and they are not aesthetically pleasant either.
It may be possible to introduce an actuation lock so that on pressing, sliding or pulling of a switch thereof the arms are locked to stay close together. However, the working of the actuation lock can be adversely interfered when the utensil is used to pick with food objects with grease or sauce. The grease or sauce can hinder working of moving parts or the switch. Further, maneuvering food with such utensil and controlling locking of the arms simultaneously can be difficult.
The present invention seeks to address the above problems or at least to provide an alternative to the public.